Animal Care & Control of NYC

Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C), formerly known as The Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC), is a not-for-profit corporation that was formed for the purpose of providing animal care and control services in New York City. AC&C was created in 1994 to assume the responsibilities of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), after the ASPCA decided not to renew its contract to run New York City’s animal shelter system. CACC entered into its own contract with the New York City Department of Health (DOH), and on January 1, 1995, followed the ASPCA as New York City’s provider of animal care and control services.[1] It has a nine-member board of directors, which includes as ex officio members the Commissioner of DOH, the Commissioner of New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the Deputy Commissioner for Community Affairs at the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The six remaining members of the Board are appointed by the Mayor.

Financials

Funding for AC&C comes from several sources. A contract with the Department of Health (DOH) provided $10.6M for FY 2013.[2] An additional $3.1M came from individual donations, grants and misc sources.[3] Financial statements dating back to 2008 are available on-line on the nycacc.org website.[4] Their fiscal year runs July–June.

Board Meetings

Board meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. The format for these meetings involves a discussion of financials, intake/outcome numbers, development/communications plans and operations reviews. The presentation is given by the Executive Director and is followed by open commentary from the public. Presentations and meeting minutes dating back to 2011 are available on the nycacc.org website. In March 2014 the board meeting included a presentation from the Medical Director.

Programs and Services

Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) has three full-service Animal Care Centers located in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island, as well as two Receiving Centers located in the Bronx and Queens. Animal Control Officers are in the field to assist animals and people in need in all five boroughs. AC&C's Field Operations respond to calls from the public regarding animals that are in need of rescue, pose a threat to public safety, stray dogs, and injured dogs and cats that need extra help.

Partners

The New Hope program is AC&C's proactive community initiative aimed at finding homes for New York City's unwanted pet population. To accomplish this, AC&C establishes and cultivates mutually beneficial and productive relationships with cat, dog, rabbit and exotic animal placement organizations that assist and partner with AC&C in placing animals, many of which may require specialized medical care or behavior training. In 2013 New Hope partners accounted for 70% of all placements, finding homes for over 14,000 animals. AC&C placed 6,148 or roughly 30%.[5]

New Hope partners take ownership of AC&C animals and care for them in shelters, foster homes, boarding facilities and/or their own private facilities prior to placing them in permanent homes through their own adoption process. New Hope is part of the Placement Department at AC&C, which also includes Adoptions, Foster Program, and Behavior. AC&C employs New Hope staff to serve as direct contacts for New Hope partners, to respond to inquiries about animals of interest, to communicate information about animals most in need of placement and to ultimately process the final placement of animals with partner organizations.

A key partner to the New Hope program is the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. Through their Wheels of Hope program,[6] they transport animals to New Hope partners seven days a week. They also support New Hope partners with transport for spay/neuter[7] appointments.

Criticisms

AC&C receives $10 million from its contract with the City of New York. This is less that $1.50 per person for a city of 11 million citizens. A 2009 report by the Humane Society of the United States entitled "Animal Sheltering Trends in the U.S." found that on average communities spend $8.00 per capita on animal shelters.[8]

In November 2010 an investigation by Eyewitness News entitled "Allegations of neglect at city animal shelter"[9] claimed that care and exercise were being withheld from animals in the shelter due to city-wide budget cuts.

In January 2013 then Manhattan Borough President released a report entitled "Led Astray: Reforming NYC's Animal Care & Control"[10] asking that the shelter be run as a private non-profit completely separate from the NYC Department of Health. The reported cited the success of the multimillion-dollar Central Park Conservancy as a model for how the city shelter could be run successfully and fully financed by the citizens of NYC.

Progress

In 2013 AC&C experienced its lowest rate of euthanasia in city history at 4,843 animals (not including 1,279 owner requested euthanasia)http://nycacc.org/pdfs/boardmeetings/04232014_BoardPresentation.pdf. With an intake of 30,264 animals that is a rate of 20% down from 74% euthanasia in 2003.[11]

In March 2014 The New York Daily Newspublished an article entitled "City animal shelters see boost in adoptions and drop in euthanasia"[12] citing various improvements to the condition and care of shelter animals. AC&C still has to euthanize almost 5,000 animals a year because there is no placement for them.

References

  1. ↑ http://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/ME01_109A.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.nycacc.org/pdfs/boardmeetings/Animal%20Care%20&%20Control%20NYC%20June%2030,%202013%20FSFinal.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.nycacc.org/pdfs/boardmeetings/Animal%20Care%20&%20Control%20NYC%20June%2030,%202013%20FSFinal.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.nycacc.org/Leadership.htm
  5. ↑ http://nycacc.org/pdfs/boardmeetings/04232014_BoardPresentation.pdf
  6. ↑ http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/initiatives/wheels/index.htm
  7. ↑ Neutering
  8. ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/animal_community/resources/timelines/animal_sheltering_trends.html
  9. ↑ http://7online.com/archive/7806635/
  10. ↑ http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb3/downloads/calendar/2013/ACC%20Reform%20BB%20Reso%201.17.pdf
  11. ↑ http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/images/progressreport2013-livereleaserate-1000.png
  12. ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/city-animal-shelters-boost-adoptions-article-1.1727401

External links

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